Means for controlling the movement of vehicles.



P. J. SIMMEN.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT 0F VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I9, I908.

Patented Aug 17', 1915 I, IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII II awe Sylvan-Lot O 13 mto'awmg I m WWW N @N am M. 0 N m wh 3, W W Hm \v w M 1 MM 1 NW WWI Lewes PAUL J. SIMMEN, or 12.08 ANGELEs, CALIFORNIA.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT or VEHICLES.

To all wit-m it may cancer-n:

Be it known that I, PAUL J. SIMMEN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain The merit of the invention is that the vehicle is not stopped automatically until after the operator has had an opportunity to reduce his speed to a safe rate and failed Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

Application filed June 19, 1968. Seria1 1\To.4 39,334.

At suitablepoints along the way, are signal ralls in pairs, and designated-in the present embodiment -35 and 3535 one of each pair, as 35 and 35 being a distant rail,

and the others 35 and 35 being home rails.

are interrupted at 20, for a purpose which will subsequently be described, and the support 17 is capable of reciprocation, havinga portion that constitutes the armature of 30 new and useful Improvements'in Means for Each vehicle employs the usual wheels 23 Controlling the Movement of Vehicles, of arranged inpairs, and connected by suitable which the following is a full, clear, and exaxles 1. Each vehicle also carries a contact act description. shoe, designated 34, and signals and other This invention relates to a system of conequipment, as hereinafter explained. Mount- 5 trol for moving vehicles, either automatied in suitable bearings 26, at any convenient cally or under the supervision of a central place on the vehicle, is a shaft 3 provided operator. It is distinguished from prior with a worm l5, and motion is imparted to systems of this'general character in that the this shaft from the movement of the vehicle I operator -on a vehicle is automatically Wheels by suitable transmitting mechanism,

warned by a signal on the vehicle that he is as for example, a friction wheel 4. within a danger zone and is given an oppor- Secured to the shaft 3 is an actual speed tunity to reduce the speed of the vehicle un-, indicator 2 comprising a collar 8 slidable der service conditions. At the same time upon the'shaft and carrying a contact disk that he is so warned, there ,is automatically 6." This indicator is operated by a centrifuset in operation a devicewhich thereafter gal governor 'in the form of swinging and so long as the danger persists indicates weighted arms 9 pivoted to the shaft and a safe speed for the vehicle. If he heeds the linked to said collar. It is obvious that the warning and reduces such speed below the longitudinal movement of the collar 8 on the 2 'ermissive rate indicated, nothing. occurs, shaft 3 is directly proportional to the speed so ut if he does not heed the Warning and exof the vehicle communicated through the ,ceeds the permissive rate, the-brakes on the wheel 4: to said shaft. Mounted at a place vehicle are automatically operated and the convenient to the above described actual vehicle is retarded and finally brought to" speed indicator, is a device (1, termed a pera stop. As soon as the danger has passed -missive speed indicator. This permissive there is-a clear signal made to the operator speed indicator or deviceic'omprises a supon the\vehicle,t-he permissive speed indicaport 1 7, on which is rotatably mounted a tor is automatically returned to its maxiworm gear 14, the teeth of which are adaptmum position and the vehicle can proceed ed to mesh with the worm 15 on the shaft at any rate below the maximum. 3. The said teeth of this worm wheel 14 to do so; therefore, except in cases where the an electro-magnet 13. The gear wheel la engineer deliberately disobeys the warning, is provided with a cam groove 25, in which or is incapacitated from' so doing, the veis engaged a stud 27, secured to a bar 26 hicle'is slowed down or stopped'under servthat is capable of a reciprocatory moveice conditions and not under emergency ment on the vehicle. The. bar 26 carries at conditions. 'its free end a contact member 11 made of In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram' suitable conducting material and insulated 'in'plan, illustrating the equipment of the from said bar. A spring 22, secured to a track-way. Fig. 2 is a diagram'in elevation, fixed portion of the vehicle and to the wheel illustrating an embodiment of the invention 14, serves to retract said wheel to normal applied to a vehicle, and showing the relaposition after its actuation and release. 1'35 tion of the parts under danger conditions. A magnet-operated train pipe release In the drawings, there is indicated a sinvalve is illustrated diagrammatically at A, gle track of railway having two rails, along being preferably constructed so that as long which vehicles indicated at Xand 1 travel, as the magnet is energized, the valve is 55 and said railway is divided into sections 410. closed, but opens upon the deenergization U9 a of said magnet.

A structure of this charactor will be well understood to those skilled in the art, and it is believed needs no further explanation.

' A battery is placed in any convenient position on the vehicle, and a conductor 32 leads therefrom to the movable contact member 53 of a relay B, the contact member being under constant tension of a spring 55, or under the influence of gravity. The member 53 is adapted to contact with the terminal 12 of a conductor 57 leading to the electromagnet 13, and thence through a binding post 58 or other suitable connecting device, back to the battery 30. From the conductor 57, there is led another: conductor 59, to two terminals 607whf6l'1'are electrically connected by means of a shoe contact 36, and the conductor 59-.is led to the relay coil-5 L, and thence to the post 58. To the-conductor 59 is connected a third conductor .63 that is likewise connected to the post 58, and includes a safety signal in the form of a lamp L. A conductor 10 leads from the post 58 to the disk 6 of the actual speed indicator 2, and includes the electro-magnet of'the air valve A. The disk 6 is normallyin contact with the member 11 of the permissive speed indicator and a conductor 69 leads from the latter member; to the. conductor 32,. and thence to the battery 30. A conductor 31 leads from the post 58, to a suitable ground connection. I v

The shoe 34 is mounted on the vehicle at any convenient place, but in a position to ride upon the signal tracks 35-35, 35 'and- 35 and the shoe contact'member 36 is movable out of and into engagement with. the contact terminal 60', accordingly as the shoe 34: is lifted and allowed to fall as it passes over the said signal rails of the system.

Between or near the track rails of each section of the railway, is a battery 41 that is in circuit with a relay coil 74, by means of conductors 7 5 and 76. Adjacent to this relay coil 7 4, and actuated thereby, is a swinging contact piece 77 normally held by the relay, against the tension of a spring 78, in

I contact with a terminal of a conductor 79 in circuit with the two signal rails 35 and 35 or 35 and 35 The contact piece 77 is furthermore in electrical connection with a bat tery .81 that is grounded, as illustrated at 80. The operation ofthe device is as follows 2 Assuming that the vehicle X has passed over the signal rails 35' and 35 when said signal rails were energized, it has deener-gized these rails, inasmuch as the current from the battery 41 at the'end'of the section on which the. .vehicle X is located, has been short-circuited through the wheels of said vehicle, thereby de'cnergizing the magnet 74, and

permitting the spring 78 to act and open the circuit of the battery 81. \Vhen, however,

the said vehicle X has passed over the enering the contact 53, and closing a circuit through the terminal 12, conductors 59 and 63, the safety signal lamp L, post 58, conductor 57, battery 30, conductor--32 and contact'53, causing said signal to be displayed.- At the same time, another circuit was formed through the terminal 12, conductor 57, electro-magnet 13, battery 30,- conductor 32 and contact 53, energizing the electromagnet 13 and lifting the gear wheel 14 out of mesh with the worm 15. As soon as the vehicle has passed the signal rail 35 the member36 drops by gravity and completes the circuit through the conductor 59 by means of the terminals 60, so that the cir- .cuits which were created by passing overthe cuits are maintained, the terminal 11 of the bar 26 will be in contact with the sliding sleeve 6, and a circuit will be completed through these members, the conductor 69, battery, 30, conductor 57, post 58, conductor 10, and electro-magnet ofthe air brake system, thereby maintaining said release valve closed. With the mechanism in this condition, the position of the bar 26 will be so far to the right that no matter what the speed of the vehicle may be within usual limits, the sliding disk 6 of the actual speed indicator will remain in contact with the member 11 of the permissive speed indicator-- that is, under the conditions named, the operator of the vehicle has a safety signal and may maintain any usual speed.

As above explained, the signal rails 35 and 35 at the beginning of the track section on which the vehicle X is located, are deenergized by the presence of said vehicle in said track section. In Fig. 1,'there are represented the conditions which exist if the 1 shoe 34 of this vehicle comes into contactwith a deie'nergized contact rail, as for example, 35' and 35 at the end of the section in which the vehicle is moving. In such a from the terminal 60 of the conductor 59, and the'magnet 54 will now be deenergized, inasmuch as there is no current flowing through the rail 35. As a consequence the contact 53 moves to open position under the action of the s ring 55, thereby opening the circuit 63, which contains "the lamp L, and the latter being extinguished as a consequence. At the same time, the current ceases to flow through the conductor 57 and mag-' net 13, and this magnet bein thus deinergized', the supporting frame 1? of the wheel 14 drops, its teeth at once becoming engaged missive speed, the contact betweenthe .as the actual speed of .Will escape,

termined by following vehicle.

nimaoo cam groove 25.

f the operator of the vehicle, as soon as the-signal L is extinguished, begins to reduce the speed of the vehicle, the member 6 of the actual speed indicator will begin to move toward the left. So long therefore the vehicle is less than the permissive speed, as indicated by the position of the contact piece 11,-noth1ng occurs to effect a change in the mechanism; but if the operator does not reduce his actual speed below the permissive speed, the part 11 will separate from the part 6, and therefore the circuit which includes the electrically controlled airrelease valve A will be broken, and the valve will open, the air the brakes will be automatically operated, and the speed of the train reduced. The position and shape of the cam groove 25 is such that when the bar 26 is farthest toward the left, as it is when the wheel 14 reached the worm 15, the permissive speed is a safe onesay'ten miles an hour-so that if the operator so controls the vehicle that the actual speed does not exceed this paire ements 6 and 11 will not have been broken, the brakes will not have been set, and the vehicle can continue at that rate under complete control.

' The limits of the permissive speed are dethe extent of the eccentricity of the cam grooves 25, and the length of the bar 26 and its contact element 11. Obviously, if the actual speed of the vehicle is suchthat the part 6 will slide to the right, out of contact with the member, then the circuit through the electro-magnet controlling a stop, Therefore, a determination of the length of the rod or bar assures control of' the speed. of the vehicle.

WVhen :thepreceding vehicle has left its passed out of the track section into which the succeeding vehicle has entered, the circuits, as above described, are restored in the Consequently the whel 14 is again lifted out of mesh with the worm 15, the safety signal lamp L is again lighted,

' and the permissive speed indicator is moved to. its normal position, thereby closing the the release valve will be broken, and the vehicle will be automatically brought to' tion,

f by said cam circuit that includes the solenoid of the at r valve A. This air valve is consequently closed, and the vehicle is allowed to proceed under normal conditions.

From the foregoing, it is throught that the construction, operation and many advantages .of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, Without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invenwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A system for controlling moving vehicles, comprising a governor having a part displaced in accordance with the speed of the vehicle, means for retarding the movement of the vehicle, a device initially actu able by the relation of the vehicle to exterior objects, means carried by the vehicle for imparting additional movement to said device, and means dependent on a predetermined cotipe'ration between said device and said part for controlling said retarding means.

2. A system for controlling moving vehicles, comprising a governor having a part displacedin accordance with the-speed of the vehicle, means for causing a retardation of the movement of the vehicle, a controlling device on the vehicle, means, a portion of which is disposed apart from and outside of said vehicle, for varying the position of said de 'ice, means for driving said device when the latter is located in a determined position, a member movable by a part of said device, when the latter is driven in manner aforesaid, said member having a movement corresponding substantially to that ofsaid governor displaced part when the vehicle is normally slowed down from a state of rapid movement, and means for causing an actuation of said retarding means in case said governor displaced part has a movement lagging behind that of said member.

governor having a part displaced in accordance with the speed of the vehicle, a cam adapted to be moved by the vehicle, and a contact engaged by said part and displaced with a movement generally corresponding to the movement of said part when the vehicle slows down from a state of rapid motion under the aetionbfits usual controlling devices.

4. In a system for controlling moving vehicles, a governor having a part displaced in accordance with the speedof the vehicle, a normally stationary gear, a cam operated thereby, a member displaced by said cam, a

tures spaced along the track, a device initially actuable by the relation of the vehicle to at least one of said structures, means for imparting a predetermined additional movement to said device, and means upon said device cooperatingwvith'said governor part to bring said retarding device into operation only when the train proceeds at more than a predetermined speed after the completion of the said additional movement of saiddevice.

6. A system for controlling moving vehicles, comprising a governor having a part disposed in accordance with the speed of one of sand vehicles, means cooperating with said part actuated by the approach of one of said vehicles toward another, speed reducing means controlled by the cooperation of said first mentioned means and said part and operating to reduce when necessary the speed of one of said vehicles down to a predetermined rate and to thereafter permit the continued approach of said vehicle toward and up to the other at,a speed not exceeding said rate.

i 7. A- system for controlling moving ves hicles comprising a governor having a part disposed in accordance with the speed of one of said vehicles, an electrical circuit controlled by the approach of one of said vehicles toward another, apparatus, comprising an electrical device controlled by said circuit, cooperatingwith said part, speed reducing means controlled by the aforesaid co operation of said' apparatus and said part and operating to reduce when necessary the speed of one :of said vehicles down to a predetermined rate and to thereafter permit the approach of said vehicle toward the other at a speed up to but not exceeding said predetermined rate.

8. A system for controlling moving vehicles comprising a governor, means for actuating said governor in accordance with the speed of the vehicle, a part controlled and movable by said governor, meansforretarding the movement of the vehicle, a cam element, means for initially actuating said element, operable by the positioning of said vehicle within a danger zone, means carried by the vehicle for imparting additional movement to said cam element, and means controlled by the interrelated movement of said cam element and said governor moved part for controlling said retarding means,

9. A system for controlling moving track guided vehicles, comprising a device carried by the vehicle and having an, element thereof adapted to be displaced in accordance with the advance of said vehicle, means for initially moving a part of said device, said means comprising electrical apparatus, fixedcontacts disposed along the track and conductive parts carried by the vehicle, apparatuscarried by the vehicle for displacing said element in manner aforesaid after the said part of said device has been initially moved by the said means, governor mechanism comprising a part movable in accordance with the speed of the vehicle, means for retarding the movement of said vehicle, and means controlled by the interrelated movements of said element and said governor part for con-= trollin said retarding means.

hicles, comprising means on the vehicle which moves in accordance with the actual speed of the vehicle, further means on the vehicle driven by the running gear thereof which system of control for moving ve-1 hicles, comprising means on the vehicle which 1 moves inaccordance with the actual speed; of the vehicle, further means on the vehicle moves in accordance with the-permissive speed of such vehicle, means normally inactive adapted to retard the movement of the vehicle, and means adapted to actuate such retarding means when the speed of the means on the vehicle moving in accordance with its actual speed exceeds the speed corresponding to the position of the means on the vehicle moving in accordance with its permissive speed.

12. A system of control for moving vehicles, comprising means on the vehiclecwhich moves in accordance with the actual speed of the vehicle, further means on the vehicle driven by the running gear thereof which moves in accordance with the permissive speed of such vehicle, means normally inactive adapted to retard the movement of the vehicle, and means adapted to actuate such retarding means when the speed of the means on the vehicle moving in accordance with its actual speed exceeds the speed corresponding to, the position of the means on the vehicle moving in accordance With its permissive speed and to cease such actuation whenever the speed of the means moving in accordance With the actual speed of the vehicle is below ,jt'he speed corresponding to the position of the means thatmoves in accordance-With its permissive speed.

13. at. system of control fol-moving vehicles, comprising means on the vehicle which figmvcs in accordance with the of the vehicle,

actual speed further means on the vehicle driven by the runninggear thereof which moves in accordance with the permissive speed of such vehicle, means normally inactive adapted to retard the movement of the vehicle, and means adapted to-actuate such retarding means when the means on themhicle moving in accordance with its actual speed is moved relative'to the means on the vehicle moving in accordance with its permissive speed beyond a predetermined limit.

14. A system of control for moving vehicles, comprising means on the vehicle which moves in accordance with the actual speed of the vehicle, further means on the vehicle driven by the running gear thereof which moves in accordance with the permissive speed of such vehicle, means normally inactive adapted to retard the movement of the vvehicle, and means adapted to automatically actuate such retarding means when the speed of the means on the vehicle moving in accordance with its actual speed exceeds the speed corresponding to the position of the means on the vehicle moving iii-accordance with its permissive speed.

15. A system of control for moving vehicles, comprising means on the vehicle which moves in accordance with the actual speed of the vehicle, further means on the vehicle driven by the running gear thereof which moves in accordance with the permissive speed of such vehicle, means normally inactive adapted to retard the movement of the vehicle, and means adapted to automatically actuate such retarding means when the speed of the means on the vehicle moving in accordance with its actual speed exceeds the speed corresponding to the position of the means on the vehicle moving in accordance with its permissivespeed and to cease such actuation whenever the speed of the means moving in accordance with the actual speed of the vehicle is'below the speed corresponding to the position of the means that moves in accordance with its, permissive speed.

16. In a system of control for moving vehicles, a member on the. vehicle which moves in accordance with the permissive speed of the vehicle, on the movement of the vehicle, for moving such member fromamaximum speed position toward a minimum speed position, and

means controlled by mechanism outside of the vehicle for automatically restoring such member to a maximum speed position while the vehicle is at different points along its line of travel.

1 7. A system 015 control for a. moving vemeans dependent for movement hicle, comprising means on the vehicle adapted to move in accordance with its actual speed, means on the same vehicle adapted to move inaccord'ance with its permissive speed, mechanism on the vehicle adapted to operatively connect the permissive speed means to the running gear of the vehicle, and means adapted to set such connecting mechanism in operation automati- 18. A system of control for a moving vehicle comprising means on one of the vehicles adapted to move in accordance with its actual'speed, means on the same vehicle adapted to move in accordance with its permissive speed, mechanism on the vehicle adapted to operatively connect the permissive speed means to the running gear of the vehicle, and means adapted to set such connecting mechanism in operation automatically and to restpi'e it to an inoperative position automatica 'y.

19. A system of control for a plurality of moving vehicles comprising means on one of the vehicles adapted to move in accord ance with its actual speed, means on the same vehicle adapted to move in accordance with its permissive speed, mechanism on the vehicle adapted to operatively connect the permissive speed means to the running gear of the vehicle, and means including elements outside of the vehicle adapted to set such connecting mechanism in operation automatically, which means are set in operation by the movement oi another oi the vehicles. a 20. A system of control for a plurality of moving vehicles comprising means on one of the vehicles adapted to move in accordance with its actual speed, means on the same vehicle adapted to move in accordance with its permissive speed, mechanism on the vehicle adapted to operatively connect the permissive. speed means to the running gear of tile vehicle, and means on another of the vehiclcs adapted to set such connecting mechanism in operation automatically and: to restcifeit to an inoperative position automatica y-.

21. In a system of vehicle control, a shaft on a vehicle rotated from its motion, a cam eccentrically mounted and rotated by the.

shaft, the eccentricity of which corresponds to the maximum and minimum permissive speed; of the vehicle, means for controlling the movement oi the cam, a member moved from said cam,'a second member operatively connected to the running gear ofthe vehicle and moved thereby inaccordance with the actual speed of the vehicle, a brake on the vehicle, and means adapted automatically to operate the brake whenever the two movable members are relatively moved to a predetermined position.

22. In a system of vehicle control, a movable member and means for moving it in acwhich varies with the actual speed of the.

vehicle at any moment, said two movable members being normally in contact, a brake on the vehicle normally inoperative, and

brake whenever the contact .between the two members is broken.

23. In a system of vehicle control, a movable member, the position of which determines the permissive speed of the vehicle at any moment, and means for moving it in accordance with the permissive speed of the vehicle, said means being normally inoperative, means moving in accordance with the actual speed of the vehicle, said latter means comprising a movable member, the position of which varies with the actual speed of the vehicle at any moment, said two movable members being normally in contact, a brake on the vehicle normally inoperative, and

means adapted automatically to operate said brake whenever the contact between the two members is broken, and which means comprise an electrical device with which the so two members are in circuit.

24:. In a system of vehicle control, a movable member, the position of which determines the permissive speed of the vehicle at any moment, and means for moving it in accordance with the permissive speed of the vehicle, saidv means being normally inoperative, means moving in accordance with the.

actual speed of the'vehicle, said latter means comprising a movable member, the position of which varies with the actual speed of the vehicle at any moment, two movable members being normally in contact, a brake on the vehicle normally inoperative, and means adapted automatically to operate said brake whenever the contact between the two members is broken, in combination with cbntrolling means adapted to set into operation the means which moves said first named member in accordance with the permissive speed whenever the vehicle is in a position at which it is in danger at its maximum speed.

25. In a system of vehicle control, a movable member, the position of which determines the permissive speed of the vehicle at any moment, and means for moving it in accordance with the permissive speed of the vehicle, said means being normally inoperative, means moving in accordance with the actual speed of the vehicle, said latter means comprising a movable member, the position of which varies with the actual speed of the vehicle at any moment, two movable mem; bers being normally in contact, a brake on the vehicle normally inoperative, and means adapted automatically to operate said brake whenever the contact between the two members is broken, in combination with controlling means adapted to set in operation the means which moves in accordance with the permissive speed, said controlling means being controlled by another moving .vehicle whenever the vehicle carrying the said means is within an unsafe distance from the second moving vehicle. means adapted automatically to operate said ing to reduce when necessary the speed of said vehicle down to a predetermined rate and to thereafter permit theadvance of said vehicle at a speed not exceeding said rate;

27. A system for controlling moving vehicles comprising a governor having apart disposed in accordance with the speed of one of said vehicles, an electrical circuit Icontrolled by track conditions, apparatus, comprising an electrical device controlled by said circuit, cooperating with said part, speed reducing means controlled bythe aforesaid cooperation of said apparatusandsaid part and operating to reduce when necessary the speed of said vehicle down tq a predetermined rate and .to thereafter-permit the approach of said vehicle toward another of said vehicles at a speed up to but not exceeding said predetermined rate.

28. A railway train control system comprising a centrifugal governor geared to a wheel of a railway vehicle, a contact device movable by the governor when its speed is varied, a second contact device coacting with the first, gearing adapted to connect said second contact device with a wheel of said vehiole but arranged to be normally out of connection. means for establishing said geared connection of the second contact device and a vehicle wheel when the vehicle passes a given point, an electric circuit including said contact devices'in series, and a translating device governed by said circuit.

29. Safety apparatus for railways, comprising a movable element whose position is controlled by the speed of the vehicle which carries it, another movable element whose position is controlled by the distance traveled by the said vehicle, track controlled means for controlling the operation of the last named movable element, speed controlling means for the vehicle operated by the cooperation of the said two movable elements, together with means for preventing lingsaid circuit, together with means for limiting the movement of the second named movable element to prevent the operation of l the speed controlling means when the speed of the train is below a predetermined maximum, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof, Isubscribe my signature, in the presence of tWo Witnesses. PAUL J. SIMMEN. Witnesses:

WALDO M. CHAPIN, MARY S. HANDY. 

